Apr 18, 2016

I’ve lived in Rochester Hills for three years and visit
Bloomer Park frequently, as it has three awesome playgrounds and some cool
hiking trails.

But on a recent sunny afternoon, my son and I stumbled upon
a really awesome feature of the park that we had heard about but never seen:
The big wooden staircase.

We were amazed at the deep ravine and sturdy wooden stairs
that seemed to go on forever and my son (who is 6) tried counting them as we
descended, but we just decided to say there were 200 and call it good.

This gorgeous, wooden staircase can be found in the park’s
large stone structure not far from the entrance. This amazing structure dates
from the late 1970s and is well-known to local fitness buffs that tear up and
down the stairs to get a killer workout. It is definitely not toddler or
stroller friendly and I’d say it’s best for children who are 4 and up (unless
you babywear, then go for it, mama!)

I’d say you need a basic level of fitness to do the stairs,
as they are not gentle on the knees. The wooded area they are in is gorgeous
and peaceful. The ravine is incredibly deep and I was unprepared for how
breathtaking it was. It’s so close to my house, which is flat and suburban. My
son said, “I guess this is why they call it Rochester HILLS!”

There are extensive hiking and biking trails in the park.
Some are pretty steep but if you are determined, you can hike to Yates CiderMill or Yates Roadside Park.

You could definitely spend a day here, just playing,
exploring and hiking. There are a few picnic areas as well. If you are into
geocaches, there are a few on the trails.

The 200-acre Bloomer Park is at 345 John R Road. In addition
to the playgrounds and the stairs, it has a velodrome, a cricket pitch, an
awesome sledding hill and restrooms. It requires an annual pass for entry or
you can purchase a day pass (it was $5 last year).

Korie is a work at home mom to an energetic little boy. She loves big books, chocolate, writing and crochet. A recovering former journalist, Korie is also a wife, cook and allergy mama. Follow her on Twitter at @koriemw.